By Liz McBreen
Born in Adrano, Province of Catana, Sicily, Italy in 1899, Giannone was the youngest of seven children. Living conditions in Italy were unbearable for the family, so they came to the United States in 1910. The family moved to Brooklyn where their struggles continued. At a very young age, Frances began to do what she had to in order to help her family, learning survival skills along the way in the midst of serious family problems.
During her early years, she had visions of how her life could be transformed, but also uncertainty and fear as to how this new life would unfold. As an immigrant, Giannone decided to take the opportunity that her new country was offering her and build herself a bright future.
Coming from a family which had struggled with poverty and illiteracy, Frances graduated from high school in 1918, and took college courses - a remarkable accomplishment. In addition to her native Italian, Giannone can also speak German.
Her favorite job and one in which she took great pride was working as a claims investigator for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. In 1921, she became the first woman to hold such a position. Her niece, Angela Kappen, remembers the various raises that Giannone was offered by the company as she repeatedly proved herself to be a valuable employee.
Frances married John Giannone in 1933 at the age of 34. The couple had two children, a son John and daughter Johanna. During the already difficult days of the depression, John was unemployed and also ill. In 1947, her husband John died and she was faced with still another challenge - how to raise her 11- and 12-year-old children as a single parent, and with little money. Wasting no time, Giannone went back to work immediately after the death of John, and said her faith in God is what took her through these very fearful times.
Although she lived in public housing during part of her life, she had a vision of her children becoming educated, having better opportunitites and an easier life than herself. Giannone made sure that her children had many opportunities for growth and learning, and encouraged them to experience different things such as ice skating, roller skating, sewing, and cultural arts.
One might ask how is all of this possible? Giannone's daughter Johanna says it was her relentless determinaion and love she has for her children that pushed her to accomplish all of these goals. She continuously sacrificed for her children's well-being.
Giannone retired from her job as a bookkeeper at age 75. She then began a new career as a volunteer in various positions, one of which saw her as an advocate for retarded adults. During her time as an advocate, she wrote an article in a local newspaper in support of housing in the community for these adults. She also volunteered for security patrol in the public housing where she lived as well as for the Franciscan Order and various other Catholic organizations.
Giannone now lives at Garden Care Center Nursing Home in Franklin Square. According to her daughter, at 102 years old, the depth of her wisdom, insight and thought process is truly astonishing, and she loves to speak about philosophy and the deeper meaning of life.
Two years ago, to celebrate her 100th birthday, Giannone's daughter Johanna brought her back to the MetLife building in Manhattan, where she had her first job after college. Mother and daughter took a short tour through the former executive offices of the company-now a museum open to the public by appointment.
The visit to her old place of business was, for Giannone, an enjoyable look into her own past. Daughter Johanna was thrilled to show her gratitude and admiration for her mother's years of dedication by bringing her back to where her career began, "Hers was a dysfunctional family," said Johanna. "It is impressive what she was able to accomplish alone. She raised a family as a single parent; when my brother and I were in college, she worked two jobs in order to meet college tuitions. She taught me all the important things in life."
Giannone's son John received his PhD and taught elementary school for 30 years, having recently retired from New York City public schools. Her daughter Johanna is a retired secretary from Great Neck Public Schools, and is now an interior designer. Frances has 5 grandchildren, Debbie, Joan, John-Daniel, Donna and Gregory, and 4 great-grandchildren, Anita, Rosemarie, Michael and Robert.
